All upcoming Travel programs

Wildlife producer Mike Gunton offers Smithsonian Associates members an inside look into the making of the new 10-part series “The Americas,” which showcases the wonders, secrets, and fragilities of the world’s great supercontinent. Created by BBC Studios Natural History Unit in association with Universal Television Alternative Studio and narrated by Tom Hanks, it reveals the spectacular landscapes of Earth’s most varied landmass—the only one to stretch between both poles. Executive producer Gunton shares insights into the innovative filming techniques, scientific breakthroughs, and unique challenges encountered while capturing some of nature’s most elusive moments.

From the desert gardens to the red rocks of Sedona, the northern mountains to the depths of the Grand Canyon, this 6-day spring adventure offers outdoor enthusiasts an itinerary filled with education and scenic beauty led by geologist and study tour leader Wayne Ranney.

From early settlers arriving on the Mayflower to white settlers moving west in wagon trains in the 1800s to Black Americans making the great migration to the North in the 1930s, scholars argue that the culture of the United States has been shaped by people pushing into new territory in search of better opportunity. Historian Allen Pietrobon looks at the ways Americans traveled in the past, the rapid growth of interstates in the 1960s, the associated rise of fast food and roadside motels, and, most importantly, the birth of the notion that the open road is the epitome of American freedom.

From a tiny pocket park dedicated to a pop star turned politician to the only female equestrian statue in the capital, Washington, D.C., is full of unique and obscure memorials. Beyond the National Mall, there are monuments to middling presidents, forgotten founders, failed projects, and allies turned enemies. Carolyn Muraskin, founder of DC Design Tours, takes a closer look at some of these odd and lesser-known monuments, memorials, and landmarks.

The Louvre is one of the most famous museums in the world, attracting millions of visitors every year to view masterpieces like the Mona Lisa, the "Venus de Milo," and other magnificent works. Elaine Sciolino, author of Adventures in the Louvre, goes beyond the building’s imposing walls to reveal a magical space full of secrets and stories and shares how anyone can forge an intimate connection with the museum. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

For 115 years, Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, has stood as one of the world’s leading collections of plants, showcasing botanical splendor and state-of-the-art glasshouses. Spring, when the gardens come alive with blooms and birds, is the perfect time to experience its beauty. Karl Gercens, Longwood’s conservatory manager, leads a specially arranged curator’s tour of the outdoor gardens of this historic du Pont property, where azaleas, poppies, and a host of flowering shrubs greet the season.

Frank Lloyd Wright left an indelible signature on the American Midwest: a legacy of buildings that trace the arc of his career as one of world’s most significant and innovative architects. A 5-day tour led by Bill Keene, a lecturer in urban studies and architecture, offers a one-of-kind opportunity for a close-up look at a wide range of Wright’s designs in Illinois and Wisconsin, as well as visits to seminal works by other architects of the early and mid-20th century. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1 credit)

A two-day tour of the Bronx, the northernmost borough of New York City is led by arts journalist Richard Selden. Sites visited include the urban oasis of Wave Hill, 28 acres of gardens overlooking the Hudson River and the Palisades; the New York Botanical Garden, featuring the “Van Gogh: Painting with Flowers” exhibition; the 84-year-old Arthur Avenue Retail Market in the center of the Bronx’s Little Italy; and the Edgar Allan Poe Cottage, the early 19th-century farmhouse where the writer spent the last years of his life.

Attracted by the light and the beauty of the Mediterranean coast, artists including Renoir, Chagall, Matisse, Dufy, Bonnard, and Picasso settled in the French Riviera. Art historian Joseph Cassar discusses the importance of the South of France as an inspirational location for artists and surveys the major museums highlighting their works in the fabled region. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1 credit)

At the turn of the 20th century, Buffalo was a prosperous industrial city, drawing worldwide attention as the site of the 1901 Pan-American Exposition. The city’s wealth and prominence attracted well-known architects for high-profile projects, including H. H. Richardson, Louis Sullivan, and Daniel Burnham—as well as upstarts like Frank Lloyd Wright, who looked to make his name with his first major office building. Bill Keene, a lecturer in architecture and urban studies, leads a 4-day tour that highlights significant works by Wright and his contemporaries.